GORHAM, Maine -- The University of Southern Maine Athletic Department today announced that former women's basketball head coach Gary Fifield will return to the sidelines next season, reassuming the reins of a program he guided for 21 years before retiring from coaching last fall.

Fifield returns to the program he guided to a 541-86 record over 21 seasons after interim head coach Mike McDevitt resigned to return to his alma mater, St. Joseph's College, as its new women's basketball head coach. In his one season as the Huskies coach, McDevitt led the team to a 22-7 overall record, the Little East Conference tournament championship and a berth in the NCAA Division III tournament. McDevitt also spent five seasons as Fifield's assistant after leaving St. Joseph's in 2003.

USM Director of Athletics, Al Bean, indicated that McDevitt, who was hired on a one-year interim basis when Fifield retired, had been offered the head coaching position at USM following a search process to name Fifield's permanent successor. At the same time, St. Joseph's was seeking a new head coach following the departure of Deb Reardon after five seasons.

In 21 seasons, Fifield led the Huskies to the NCAA Division III Final Four five times (1988, 1998, 2000, 2005, 2006), including three appearances in the national championship game. Prior to the 2008-09 season, his .863 winning percentage was the highest among active Division III coaches with five or more years on the sidelines, and his 541 career wins ranked seventh among active coaches.

During that span (1987-2008), he guided the Huskies to 17 Little East Conference tournament championships, including 11 straight from 1997 through 2007, and won or shared the LEC regular season crown an amazing 19 times. In the 2007-08 season, Fifield led the Huskies to a 25-4 overall record and a 13-1 regular season mark in the Little East Conference.

Fifield guided the Huskies to an NCAA tournament berth in 20 of his 21 seasons as head coach. His teams won 20 or more games every season, extending the Huskies' streak of consecutive seasons with 20 or more wins to 28, an NCAA Division III women's basketball record. Six players combined to win the Little East Conference Player of the Year award 11 times, and five players were named to the WBCA/Kodak Division III All-America team.

Among his numerous honors, Fifield was named the WBCA Division III National Coach of the Year in 2005 after leading the Huskies to 31-3 overall record and a third-place finish in the NCAA tournament. He also was named Little East Conference Coach of the Year 13 times. He served as an assistant coach at the U.S. Olympic Festival in 1993, and was inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003.

Fifield came to USM from South Royalton (Vermont) High School in 1987, succeeding legendary coach, the late Dr. Richard "Doc" Costello, as women's basketball coach. He also coached the USM men's soccer program for five seasons (30-35-10).